The performance of the north-east’s crisis-torn health board will be put under the public microscope on Monday when Health Secretary Shona Robison carries out its annual review.
It follows a year in which NHS Grampian has been wracked by damning inspector reports, staff shortages and unhappiness among medical staff with senior managers.
The crisis culminated with the resignation of chairman Bill Howatson and early retirement of Richard Carey. They were replaced by Professor Stephen Logan and Malcolm Wright respectively.
The annual review at the Dental Education Centre, at Foresterhill, was postponed from November just days before former Health Secretary Alex Neil was replaced in a cabinet reshuffle by First Minister Shona Robison.
Ms Robison said the review will give the public a chance to scrutinise the health board’s performance over the last year.
“It will also be an opportunity to give full consideration to the conclusions of the Healthcare Improvement Scotland report with members of the new management team now in place,” she said.
“I am expecting work to take forward the recommendations of the review to be already underway and will be discussing with the chair and the chief executive the progress that is being made.”
North-east Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald said he was sure local people would welcome the fact that the annual review is finally taking place, and the opportunity to hear from the new chairman and chief executive as will as put questions to Ms Robison.
“However, it is disappointing that the public missed the opportunity to cross-examine her predecessor, Alex Neil, along with the former chair and chief executive, who were all in charge of NHS Grampian while the serious problems now identified were having a major impact on healthcare services,” he said.
“This is an opportunity for a fresh start for NHS Grampian, but there are still serious questions that need answering, months after the original annual review was postponed to allow the new chief executive time to settle into his post.”